Loom for weaving tufted pile fabrics



May 16, 1933. w. v. LOWE LOOM FOR WEAVING TUFTED FILE FABRICS 6Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 8, 1930 IV l/EN 777R M441. Tffi' l/. L 0 W5 A 77'UFPNEY5 May 16, 1933. w. v. LOWE LOOK FOR WEAVING TUFTED FILE FABRICS Filed Nov. 8, 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 .ZNVENTUFP .WAL TEE l/L OWE 77 A 77'C7F/VEY5 May 16, 1933. w, v LOWE 1,909,113

LOOM FOR WEAVING 'IUFTED FILE FABRICS Filed Nov. 8, 1950 s Sheets-Sheet s 0 JVl/ENTUE MLTEHVLUM/E q 1+-.+ i 1 I 2 i E if: A77JENEY5 May 16, 1933. w. v. LOWE LOGM FOR WEAVING TUFTED FILE FABRICS Filed Nov. 8, 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 2

fvl/E/v Tm? WALTER 1/. L OWE A TTDENEYE May 16, 1933. w. v. LOWE LOOK FOR WEAVING TUFTED FILE FABRICS Filed Nov. 8, 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 fM/E/v 7-0 \A/AL. TEE 1/ Low:

Arrafiwzrs May 16, 1933. w. v. LOWE 1,909,113

LOOM FOR WEAVING TUFTED FILE FABRICS Filed Nov. 8, 1950 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Fla 10 f- Rw vvE/v TOR WA L TEE M L 0W5 JWtHM A TTUENE Y5 Patentecl May 16, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WALTER VINCENT LOWE, OI" DOBCIROQS, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO CROMITON &

KNOWLES LOOM WORKS. OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS LOOK FOR. wmvme trurrnn PILE mimics Application filed November 8, 1930, Serial No. 494,377, and in Great Britain. November 11, 1929.

I The invention relates to looms for weaving shown as are material for the purposes of de-' tufted pile fabrics of the kind, known'as Axminster or Moquette and particularly to looms for this purpose of the type wherein the pile of the fabric is comp'osedof tufts the material for which is [drawn from yarn carriers by means of grippers mounted on a rotary shaft. The shaft is turned in one direction to present the grippers, in open position, opposite the ends of yarn upon which they are then closed. The ends are then cut off at the point requisite to pro vide tufts of the desired length, and the gripper shaft is then partially rotated in the reverse direction to carry the grippers downwardly to a position in which the tuft yarns carried thereby are laid a ainst the fell of the fabric- A weft or we ts is or arethen runin by means of a needle to secure the tufts and the grippers are opened and returned for a new supply to form the next row of tufts.

A loom of this description depends for its practical value upon the speed and certainty of its operation, and the present invention comprises improvementsin the mechanism, co-operating to constitute the loom, designed to enable the loom to be run faster, and with greater certainty as to the correct functioning of the several mechanisms, than has hitherto been possible.

The improvements referred to relate particularly to means for connecting and disconnecting the gripper-carrying shaft from the loom drive; for balancing the gripper shaft; for enabling the loom to be turned by iand; for giving the requisite horizontal movements to the weft needle. and for enabling the latter to yield ifeit should meet WltlTOlOStIHCtlOIl or strike the selvage shuttle employed to tie in the weft picks at the opposite side of the loom from that at which they are inserted: for opening and closing the grippers at the required times; for combingup the tufts as they are inserted into the fabric; and also to the actuationof the warp let-off and fabric take-up mechanisms.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. l is a front elevation of a loom em- I" bodying the invention, such parts only belng scription.

F ig.2 is an end elevation, in more or less diagrammaticform, looking from the right hand end of the loom, and showing the means for enabling the loom to be turned by hand;

the means for balancing the gripper-shaft Fig. 7 is a detail showing, on an enlarged,

scale, the yielding mounting for the weftinserting needle.

Fig.8 is an end elevation, looking from the left hand end of the loom and showing the fabric take-up and warp let-off'motions;

Fig. 8a is a detail end view of the means employed to traverse the kn off the tuft yarns;

Fig. 9is a detail showing the .worm employed giving intermittent actuation to the take-up motion;

Figs. 10 and 11 are, respectively, arplan View and an elevation of the device for giving vertical movements to the comb bar for combing up the tufts .as they are inserted into the fabric; and

Figs. 12 to 14 are detail views illustrating successive stages in the formation of. the fabric. v

Referring to the drawings, the loom drive ife for cutting.

is obtained from an electric motor 10 suitmovement may be given to the friction member 12 towards and away from the member 14 so as to cause the shaft 13, and consequently the loom, to be driven or to be stopped. brake pulley 15 mounted 011 the shaft 13 is adapted to be engaged by a brake band, not shown, for the purpose of stopping the loom. A pinion 16 on the shaft, 13 meshes with a large gear wheel 17 ,on the lay cam shaft 17, said gear 17 having a conveniently divisible number of teeth, say seventy-two, for a purpose referred to later. i The bottom shaft 18 of the loom is driven from the lay cam shaft 17 by gears 18' and 18 Fig. 2. r

The gripper shaft is shown at 19, carrying as usual a series of grippers 20 by which the tuft yarns T are carried down from the sliders 21 and placed into the fell of the fabric.

The weft needle, by which the wefts are inserted to form the fabric and tie in the tufts, is shown at 22. This needle draws yarn in the usual manner from a stationary supply through a tension device, not shown, and carries it through the shed, a selvage shuttle 23 being provided at the opposite side of the loom from that at which the weft enters, to engage and tie in the weft and cause it, by the return or outward movement of the needle, to form a loop so that each shed receives a double pick of weft. The usual holding pin, not shown, is provided adjacent the selvage shuttle to enter the bight of the loop formed by the double weft pick and prevent the weft from being dragged outof the shed as the needle goes outwardly.

The tuft yarn sliders 21 are mounted to slide vertically in a swinging frame 24, mounted pivotally on an upper longitudinal shaft 25, swinging movement through the are necessary to cause the desired length of yarns to be drawn through the sliders when the yarn ends have been seized by the grippers, being imparted to the frame 24 by a connector 26 from a lever 27 mounted pivotally at 28 and havinga bowl 27 adapted to engage acam 29 on the bottom shaft 18.

A tuft yarn slider is shown in 6 as having provision for eight yarns, each'yarn passingbeneath and being controlled by a respective spring 30 in the usual manner.

The lengths of tuft yarn drawn through the sliders by the rearward swingingmovement of the tuft yarn frame are severed by a horizontally travelling knife 31, carried by a box or member 32 slidable on a guide 33 and moved by a flexible connection 34 which is secured at its ends to the knife carrier, one end being passed about guide pulleys 35, 35, andthe other end passed about a drum 36 to whlch partialrotations are given, in opposite directions alternately, to cause the knife box to operate the knife 31 at the required time and return it to starting position.

In the construction of the fabric concerned three warp beams 37, 38, and 39 are employcd, one carrying backing warps and the others binderwarps. These warp beams are operated in the usual way by worm wheels and worms, the respective worms a7, 38 and 39 being driven by bevel gears 37 38 and 39 and ratchet wheels 37", 38 and 39 the latter being intermittently rotated by pawls 37, 38 and 39*, carried by levers 37 38 and 39 The take-up roll 40 is driven as usual by worm wheel ll, worm 42, gears 1-3, shaft a l and worm wheel 45, from a worm 46 on the lay cam shaft17.

The parts so far described are or may be with the exception of the worm l6 on the lay cam shaft 17 all substantially of the usual construction and arrangement in a loom of the description concerned and in themselves form no part of the present invention.

It is necessary to provide means, in a loom of the description concerned, to enable the gripper shaft to be connected to and discon nectcd from the loomidrive, so that when desired plain or untufted portions of fabric may 3e woven, to constitute for instance headings or borders to tufted portions of the fabric. According to my invention the pper shaft is'provided with a gear l7 with which meshes an internaliy-toothed segment or quadrant 4C3 I irried by alever arm 49 pivoted at 49 on a stud carried by an end frame 50 of the loom. An adjustable link 51 connects the quadrant lever 19 with a lever arm 52 mounted pivotally at 52 on a stud carried by the loom end frame. A segment 53, mounted on the stud 52' carries a bowl 51 adapted to be engaged by a cam 55 on the bottom shaft of the loom. A boss 56 carried by th e lever 52 has a bore in which works a pin 57 provided with a hand lever A peg 59 pro ects inwardly from the boss 56 into a helical groove 57 in the pin 57. The lever arm 52 has openings through which, when the arm is appropriately positioned, the pin 57 can be projected by its axial movement consequent upon rotation by means of the handle 58 The segment has also an opening adapted to receive the pin 57, and when the opening in the said se;- nient is brought into alignment with those in the lever 52 the inward pro iectio-n of the pin 57 causes the segment 53 and the lever 52 to be operatively connected so that the quadrant lever 49 is rocked and the gripper shaft thus swung to:and fro by the gear" a? and toothed quadrant 48. If the pin be rotated, so as to cause it to travel axialiv outwards along the boss 56 the end of the pin will be withdrawn from the openings in thesegment 53 and lever and the lattor thus be left idle whilst the segment may continue to osc1llate. Associated with the cam 55 is a second cam" set in diametrically opposite position. This second cam acts on .a

dummy-segment 53 also mounted on the stud 52. To each segment there is secured one 5 end of a chain or flexible member 56 which.

passes about a guide pul1ey57, and included in this connector 56 is aspring 56', the effect of which is to maintain the bowl or runner.

54 of the operative segment 53 always incontact with the surface of its cam 55 When the gripper shaft 19 isin such a; po- 'sition of rotation that the grippers are substantially above it toreceive the tufts, or below it to deliver the tufts, the torsional strain imposed upon the shaft is relatively small, but as the grippers either when moving upwardly or downwardly approach the horizontal position the torque is considerable particularly in a broad loom. To counteract'or counterbalance the shaft I provide, as shown in Fig. 2, a weight 58" mounted on one arm of a lever 59, pivoted on a'stud 59' and having its other end connected by a link I60 to an arm 61 fast on the gripper shaft.- A

crank 62, rotatable on the stud 59' by means of a chain 63 and intermittent gears 64' from the bottom shaft 18, is connected by links 65 and 66 to the weight 58*. In the full line po- .sition of the lever 59 thegrippers are assumedto be down at the fellof the fabric and the weight 58, as shown, occupies a position. towards the pivot centre=of thelever. As the gripper shaft 19 rotates to carry the grippers upwardly, the action of the crank 62 which is, of course, appropriately timed, causes the weight 58 to be gradually moved.

outwardly along the lever so thatby the time.

s the gripper shaft is in such a position that thegrippers are substantially horizontal and are thusexerting the maximum torque on the shaft, the weight occupies the position indicated in dotted lines and exerts a-maximum counterbalance. As the gripper shaft continues its upward rotation the weight is caused to move gradually inwards until by the time the grippers have arrived at top position theweight occupies the position: indicated in broken lines, that is to say in which it exerts a minimum counterbalancing efas they approach bottom position.

fort, as in the full line position. As the gripper shaft rotates downwardly, the weight is actuated in the same way, that is to say it is gradually projected outwardly as the grip; pers approach midway of their are of movement, and is gradually moved inwardly again In order that the loom may conveniently be turned by handa hand wheel 67, situated at the front of the loom is connected by a chain drive 68 with a shaft 69 which, by gears 70, is connected to a short rearwardly extending. shaft 71. The rear end of this shaft 71 is connected by a universal joint 72 to a shaft 7 3' carrying a worm 7 4. The, rear end of shaft 73 is connected by toggle levers A 75 and 76 and a link 77 to a lever 7 8'pivoted the large gear 17 and this is occasioned by depression, as shown in Fig. 2, of the foot pedal 78'. Raising the worm 7 4 into gear is effected against the action of a spring 79 which, when pressure upon the pedal is released, acts to break the toggle and lower the shaft 73, thus removing the worm from engagement with the gear 17. The gearing between the hand wheel 67 and the worm shaft73 is of such ratio that one revolution of the hand wheel corresponds to revolution of the gear 17 through a distance equal to one tooth pitch. As previously mentioned, the gear 17 is preferably provided with an easily divisible number of teeth, such for in By depression of the stance as seventy two. foot pedal and turning of the hand wheel, the cam shaft and consequently the motions of the loom can be turned slowly and in steps.

of known angular dimensions, which facilitates setting of the cams and the general timing of the motions of the loom. nection 78 from the lever 78 is operatively connected with the brake band on thebrake pulley 15, so that as the lever 78'is depressed to enable the loom to be turned by hand the brake is removed;

The weft inserting needle'22, Fig. 1, is carried as usual-bya box 80 guided for horizontal movements on a slide 81. A link 82 connects the block 80 with the upper end of an arm 83 which is mounted pivotally at its lower end on a-stud 84. A block 85 slidable along the arm 83 is connected pivotally to the lower end of a pendulum lever 86 carried by a stud 87 and, between itsends, the pendulum fro the block 85, as will be understood rides upwardly and downwardly along the arm 83. The action of the crank, pendulum lever, and sliding block causes the needle to have the desired quick traverse during the centre part of its movement with a gradual decrease in the rate of movement towards, and a dwell at, each end. i I

It sometimes occurs that at the extremity of the inward movement of the needle the forward end of the needle will come into.

contact'with the selvage shuttle '23.. To avold damage in such an event the needle is, as shown best in Fig. 7, mounted in its box A conmir thus be avoided. To thisend the needle is hollowed out at its outer end to receive a rod CI 92 slidable. through an opening in a block 93' spaced from a projection on the needle.

box, in an openin in which projection the needle end is slide l-y supported, by bolts' 94, 94;. A pin 95-passes transversely through R the needle at a suitable distance from ts outer end and bears against the head 92 of the rod 92 and between the head 92' and the block 93 there is inserted-a spring '96. This spring is of sufiicient strength to resist hi the normal tension on the weft but if the forward end of the needle strikes the selvage shuttle the spring will yield and permit the needle to slide outwardly through the projection 80 whilst the box finishes its inward 1% movement. A block 97 fast on the needle has an eye or opening in which one of the bolts 94lslides,,the needle thus being prevented from twisting around as it is moved inwardly or outwardly. The means I provide for opening and closing the grippers are shown in Figs. 1 and 6. chain 98 conveys motion from a chain wheel 99v on the lay cam shaft to a chain wheel 100 on a stud 101 carried by the loom .end 3% frame. A pinion 102 fast with the chain wheel 100 meshes with a gear wheel 103 mounted loosely on the gripper shaft 19, and fast with the said gear 103 is a cam 1.04. This cam, as will be understood, has a constant,

' rotation from the lay cam shaft. The cam acts on a bowl 105 on a lever arm 106. pivoted at 107 to a lug 108 on a block or bosslOS fast on the gripper shaft. The upper end of the arm 106 acts through a spring 109 on a rod 110 connected to an arm 111 fast on a gripper opening and closing shaft 113, which is supported in blocks 11%, 114E, fast on the gripper shaft. The fixed members 20 of the grippers 20 are carried by a fixed shaft extending between the blocks 11d and the movable member 20 .of the grippers are pivoted to the fixed members at 20 The tails of the movable members are forkedas at 20 and straddle ablade 116 carried by the shaft 113. Rocking of the shaft thus causes the movable members of the grippers to be moved pivotally and the jaws of the grippers to be opened or closed.

The grippers are shown in full line-in Fig.

the selected tuft yarns, the selection of the latter being effected by vertical movement of the sliders 21 in the usual way to present any row of tuft yarns in alignment with the grippers. As the means for raising and lowering the sliders form no part of the present invention and are well known in the art, they have not been shown. have seized the tuft yarn endsthe slider frame 24L is swung rearwardly to cause a suf- 6 as being in top position and closed uponhen the grippers ficient length of yarns to be drawn through the sliders to form the tufts, and these lengths are severed by the travelling knife 31 in the usual way.

In the position of the grippers referred to the bo'wl10 5 of the lever arm 108 rests 011 the surface" o f the cam 10 1 and the spring 109 thus exerts pressure on the arm 111 to cause theblade 116 to maintain the grippers closed. As the grippers commence to descend, the gripper shaft rotates in the same direction as the gear 103 so that the grippers keep closed. The grippers swing down, under the actuation ofthe quadrant mechanism previously described until they arrive at the dotted line position indicated in Fig. 6, in which they have carried down the tuft yarn portions to position immediately in rear of the usual serrated cloth plate 117 to be formed into tufts, tied into the fabric, and combed .up as will be described later. lVith the arrest of the downward movement of the grippers, the continued rotation of the gear 103 causes the cam 104 to ride from beneath the bowl 105., thus permitting the arm 106 to move pivotally under the action of a spring 109 and the blade 116 thus to swing the movable jaws of the grippers to release the tuft yarns held by the grippers. This releasing of the gripper yarns is, of course, timed to occur at the proper moment in the formation of the tufts. When the tuft yarns have been released and tied into the fabric, the gripper shaft commences to rotate upwardly to carry the grippers back up to the sliders for a new supply of tuft yarns. When the grippers have arrived at top position, and the selected tuft yarns have entered between the gripper jaws, the rotation of the gear 103 brings the cam IOQ again beneath the bowl 105 and swings thelever 106 to close the grippers. The latter now commence their new downward journey the bowl 105 remaining as be fore on the cam and maintaining the grippers closed until the new tuft yarns have been carried down to, and tied in, the fell of the fabric.

The drum 36 by means of which and flexibl connection 34 the knife 31 for cutting off the tuft yarns traversed, is operatedby providing on its shaft a pinion 36 which meshes with a rack 36 on a vertical, suitably guidedbar 36?. This bar is connected at its lower end through a link to a lever 36 mounted on a fixed pivot and adapted to be swung by a connection 36 from a crank pin 36 on a segment gear 36 driven by a segment gear 36 on thebottom shaft 18.

shall now refer to Figs. 10 to 1 1 which illustrate diagrammatically the formation of the fabric and show the means provided for combing up the tufts.

.A combbar 118, Fig. 12, is carried by an arm 119 mounted pivotally on a stud 120 carried by a lever 121, which receives movements frontw ardly and rearwardlyof the loom through suitable intermediate connections from anappropriately profiled cam on the bottom cam shaft '18. An arm 122 fast on the stud 120 has itsfree end 122' suitably shaped to ride upon the surface of a fixed bar 123 and movable plate 124. The plate 124 has permissible movement frontwardly and rearwardly within the limit of slots 125, 125, formed in the bar 123, studs 126, 126 carried by the said plate projecting through the slots and the stud 126 being anchored by a spring 127 'toastud 128. projecting from the bar 123. The spring 127 acts to hold the plate 124 normally projected rearwardly as shown,

with the studs 126, 126, resting against the rearward ends of the slots 125 and 125'. The

' rearward end of the bar 123 is inclined as at 123 and shouldered upwardly as at 123 and 123 and-the rearward end of the plate 124 is reduced in depth as at '124' to constitute a shoulder 124 the level of the upper edge of the reduced portion 124 being such as to permit the end 122' of the arm 122 to drop on to the inclined end portion 123' of the bar 123 as will be described later; The upper edge ofthe plate 124 is preferably somewhat below the level of the upper edge of the bar 123 so as to permit of the plate 124' sliding frontw'ardly beneath the end 122' of the arm 122 when the latter is resting on the upper edge of the bar. As the lever 121mo'ves the comb bar 118 rearwardly, the end'122' of thearm 122 rides on the upper edge of the bar 123 until it reaches the shoulder'123 and then on the upper edgeof the plate 124 until it reaches the shoulder 124 on the latter, when it drops down on to the inclined surface 123 on the rearward end of the bar 123. and thus lowers the combbar 118. As the arm122 commences to move frontwardly its end 122 rides down the inclined surface 123 until it reaches'the curved shoulder 123 which raises the arm 122'partly and causes a partialelevation to be'given to the comb bar. During its movementdownthe incline 123 theend 122 of arm 122 engages the shoulder 124 of plate 124 and commences to move the latter frontwardly against the action of-spring127 as will be understood. 1

1 Continued frontward movement of the arm- 122 causes its end 122', still carrying frontwardly the plate 124, to ride up the second curved shoulder 123 on to the upper edge 0 the bar, in doing which it elevates still further the comb bar 118. In the act of riding on to the upper edge of the bar 123 the end 122 of the arm 122 moves upwardly clear of the shoulder 124 on plate 124,thus permitting the latter to'be projected rearwardly by the spring 127 to the position shown in Fig.11, so that at the next rearward movement of the arm 122 its end 122' will not be permitted to drop' 'on-to the shoulders 123 and 123 of the bar 123 but will be held elevated until The comb bar then moves frontwardly and downwardly, following substantially the angle of the upper warps as the end 122 of mm 122 rides down the surface 123'. This frontward movement of the comb bar causes the lastinserted row of tufts to be combed frontwardly so that they are out of the way of the newly arriving row, and during the lat-' ter'part of this rearward movement the end 122 of arm 122 rides up on to the shoulder 123 of bar- 123, thus'causingthe comb bar 118 to be raised on to the top of the tufts as indicated inv the central. position of the comb barin Fig. 12. Thenew row of tuft yarns having arrived, the ,comb bar has a slight frontwardand downward movement given to it, by dropping of the end 122 of arm 122 off the shoulder 123 of arm 123, for the purpose of placing into vertical position the front looseends of the tuft yarns held by the grippers, as indicated in Fig.13. As the reed 1 29 comesfrontwardly to beat up the tufts and the wefts inserted to hold them, the comb bar moves frontwardly so as not to be struck by the reed, that is to say to the position indicated at the left hand in Fig. 12 in which, due to riding of the end of the arm 122 on to the upper edge of bar 123, thecomb bar has been elevated'to a position above the fabric and the plate 124 has been permitted to move rearwardly as before mentioned. The rippers then open and move upwardly to etch a new supply of tuft yarns, in doing which they turn up the rearward ends of the newly inserted-tuft yarns, which they have just ref edges of the bar 123 and plate 124 until it clears the shoulder 124 on the latter. The comb bar then moves frontwardly, giving a final combing up to the tufts, during which it is elevated again clear of the fabric ready to commence a new cycle ofoperations.

The worm 46by which the take-up motion is driven from the lay cam shaft is so fashioned, as shown in Fig. 9, that for a portion of its revolution the threads are, as shown at 46' so formed that they are parallel to, the tooth spaces of the co-operating worm wheel, so that no rotation is imparted to the latter. This dwell of the take-up operation is arranged to occur during substantially one half of the revolution of the lay shaft, so that the take-up is stopped whilst the grippers are holding the tufts in position in the fabric and the weft is being beaten up over the tufts which are being inserted.

The left-off motions for the three Warp beams 37, 38 and 39 are operated simultaneously as follows. The pawl levers 37 and 38 for beams 37 and 38 are connected by a link 130 (Fig. which by a link 130 isconnected to one arm ofa lever 131 pivoted at 132. The other arm of this lever isconnected by a link 133 to a pin 134 on a gear 137 driven by a gear 138 on the lay cam shaft. Also fast with the lever 131 is an arm 139'which by means of a link 140 is connected to one arm of a lever 141 pivoted at 142 andhavingits other arm connected by a link 143 to the pawl lever for warp beam 39.

In order to stop the loom in the event of weft breakage, or of the weft not being correctly tcnsioned the weft is led between the usual tension device and the weft needle, behind a finger 144, Fig. 2, carried by a block 145 pivotally mounted at 146 on a fixed bracket not shown. An arm 147 is pivotally connected at one end to one arm of a lever 148 mounted on a fixed pivot at 149 and having its other arm connected by a link 150' to a pivoted lever 1,51 adapted, when rocked, to engage a projection 152 on the usual knock-off lever 153' and move the latter out of its usual holding notch.

A wire or rod 147 pivoted to the arm 147 xtends through a plunger 154 slidable vertically through an opening in the arm 147, and the rod 147 also passes'bctwen two lateral projections 155 on the block 145.

So long as weft W is present, and is sulficiently tensioned, to hold up the finger 144, the plunger 154 is held raised, but on break a or insuflicient tensioning of the weft the offset w-eight of the block and plunger cause the latter to be projected downwardly through the opening in the arm 147 into the path of a horizontally reciprocating bar 156, shown as'being actuated by a pin 157 disposed eccentrically on a chain wheel 158 driven by the chain 98 which conveys motion to the gripper opening and closing cam. When the plunger 154 is permitted to fall it forms an operative connection between the reciprocating bar 156 and the arm 147, and the movement thus given to the latter rocks the lever 148 and through link 150 and lever 151 actuates the hipper handle. The reciprocating bar 156 makes a frontward movement dur ng both the inward and outward movement of the weft needle so that a double acting detecting device is provided for each pick of weft.

It will be apparent that the mechanisms constituting the .inventionare capable of" variationin detail, both as regards construction and arrangement, from the particular embodiments illustrated and-described.

The co-operative effect of my improvei 1. In an Axminster loom, a plurality of. main gripper-members movable collectively to and fromyarn-engaging position, a: plu rality of additional gripper membersmount ed on said maingripper members and movable thereon to grip orrelease the yarn, and a continuously rotatedcam effective to open and close said grippers, said main: gripper members being supported ona gripper shaft: and said'cam being independently rotatable about the axis of'said gripper. shaft;

2. In an Axminster loom, a plurality of grippers, a grippencarrying shaft andmechanism for oscillating said: sh af-t,.said' mechanism including a continuously rotated'cam, a two-part lever, one part of which isactuated by saidcam, connectionsfromrthesecond part of said leverv to said sh aft, and detachable-cons nections between. the parts of said lever,- whereby said gripper-carrying shaft may remain at rest while said camshaft continues to. rotate.

3. The combination in a loom asset forth in claim 2, in which the connection between the two-part lever and) the gripper-carrying shaft comprises a gear-on said shaft, a toothed segment engaging said gea-r, and a l-ink connecting said segment to said two-part lever.

4. In a loom, a lay cam shaft. having a large gear wheel with an easily divisible number of teeth, a worm shaft having a worm adapted to engagesaid'gear-wheel, a movable supporting bearing for said worm shaft, a foot pedal connected to move saidbearing, and means including a hand wheel operable from the front. of the loom for turning saidworm shaft manually; said means being in such ratio that one revolution of" said handwheel corresponds to a movement of the gear wheel through a distance of one tooth and tooth space.

5. In an Axminster loom, a plurality of grippers, a gripper-carrying shaft, means to oscillate said shaft, and means effective to substantially counterbalance the weight of said grippers in all angular positions thereof.

j 6. In an Axminster loom, a plurality of grippers, a gripper-carrying shaft, means to oscillate said shaft, a counterbalance leverconnected to said shaft, a weight slidable on said lever, and automatic means to move said weight toward and away from the fulcrum of the lever in predetermined-relation to the angular movement of the gripper-carrying shaft.

7. The combination in a loom as set forth in claim 6, in which the weight-moving means comprises a crank arm rotatable about the fulcrum of the counter-balance lever, a link connection between said crank arm and said weight, and means to rotate said crank arm in predetermined relation to the angular movement of said gripper-carrying shaft.

8; The combination in a loom as set forth in claim 6, in which the weight-moving means comprises a crank arm rotatable about the fulcrum of the counter-balance lever, a link connection between said crank arm and said weight, an intermittently rotated gear, and a sprocket and chain connection from said gear to said crank arm, whereby said crank arm is rotated in predetermined relation with the shaft.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signa- WALTER VINCENT LOWE. 

